1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of setting up a computer video driver, and more particularly to the system and apparatus of an automated computer video driver management system in setting up a video driver in accordance with the video controller utilized in the computer system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating the process of installing a new video interface controller in a computer system. As shown in FIG. 1, conventionally, replacing a video interface controller card in a computer system involves the following process:    A) power off the computer system to avoid causing damage to components or hazardous to the person who is going to install the new video controller card (step 10);    B) remove the computer case cover to gain access to the bus for installing the new video controller card or remove the pre-existing video controller card in the system (step 12);    C) remove the old video controller adapter (step 14);    D) install the new video controller adapter in the bus of the computer system (step 16);    E) replace the case cover (step 18);    F) power on the computer system (step 20); and    G) follow video controller adapter manufacturer's directions for installing the video display driver for the new adapter (step 22).
The problem with this process is that in some cases the preexisting display drivers are not correctly removed from the system and the new display adapter tries to use
those old drivers. This will result in a botched installation and will limit function to a standard VESA SVGA screen display of 640×480×4 bit color.
The above-identified problem occurs because the Windows System Registry contains no entry for a Standard VGA PCI graphics adapter device. As a result, the system is forced to identify all new video graphics adapters with the drivers it already has installed in the system. However, the driver installed previously is invariably incorrect for the new video controller adapter.
When installing an upgraded P&P (Plug and Play) graphics adapter in a computer system running Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows 2000 operating systems, several problems can occur. The first is that the computer system can become confused and attempt to use wrong video drivers for the graphics card, resulting in a configuration that is limited to the bare minimum video functions—if it functions at all. The second is that on many modern motherboards, the video controller chipsets are manufactured by a third party vendor other than Intel. Because of Intel's claim on AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port, a platform bus specification that provides high performance graphics capabilities on personal computers) technology, AGP controllers made by other vendors may need special drivers in order to allow AGP graphics cards to work correctly. Many home and business users do not know that this is an essential step before the newly installed graphic card will properly function, and as a result may cause tremendous trouble properly configuring their graphics adapters.